Demolition of construction

What is worse? An ownership who allegedly carried out construction without proper permits, or local authorities who allegedly carried out demolition work on private property without proper due process?

Diario Noticias Roatan Reported:

"Demolition of construction was done in tourist complex Little French Key, allegedly due to the lack of a municipal permit.

Attorney Gina Ramos, Judge of municipal justice, and in compliance with a resolution issued on February 26 of this year, where the owners of Little French Key were given an order to stop construction on various structures because the local authorities had not issued the proper permits.

According to urban planning and UMA environmental, municipal inspections, and despite this order, work continued, giving way to the sanction established by law to demolish the construction site. The national police, municipal police, Marine Park, ICF, Urbanism, Bica, Zolitur, and Uma were present in this process."

A Roatan Favorite

Little French Key (LFK) is one of Roatan's most visited destinations and a favorite hangout for those visiting the island of Roatan on cruise ships. The owner of LFK, who recently lost his only living grandmother, has had little opportunity to mourn, as local authorities moved in forcefully (and allegedly without due process) not to issue citations, or to enforce the halting of any further construction, but instead, to demo the work which had been carried out on private property.

LFK Ownership had this to say:

"Mayor of Roatan and Municipality of Roatan...destroying and demolishing the natural habitat we built for ducks, geese, and swans under the guise of no permit with an army of naval forces, police, and demolition crew.

But whenever a request for a permit is made, it ends up in a magical black hole or the Mayor's drawer. But don't worry it's ok for him to build without permit and dynamite blast the entire Coral Reef to build his docks at Mahogany Bay or Dry Docks at French Harbor, because he is the King, and needs to own everything in Roatan so let's destroy any "Competing" business. I wonder about the word "Conflict of Interest" also if all these resources and municipal revenues could not find a much better use on repairing the decaying roads and building much-needed classrooms for children and health facilities and infrastructure, etc., etc. etc...A True Black Eye for Roatan today."

Opinion Piece

A hostile invasion and overreach by local officials over private property, and especially of a property which is so visible to our global visitors each and every week is embarrassing and uncalled for.

Independent of the findings in this conflict, our aim in Roatan must be to reach a point in which our local government is mature, unilateral, just, and one that enforces laws in a firm but orderly manner.

These sort of conflicts should first be played out in our local courts. Fines and penalties should be issues long before private property is put under siege in such a public manner. We owe it to our tourist and to our global guest to iron out our issues behind closed doors in our courts and through our judicial system.

Little French Key is a top destination in Roatan. The ownership of LFK is responsible for many good memories in Roatan and for that we are grateful.

That said, our business owners should follow the rules as well. They should be examples of how we do business in Roatan.